John Henry Caldwell (1826-1902) was a prominent member of Jacksonville, Alabama society -- a teacher, attorney, newspaper editor, lieutenant colonel during the Civil War, trustee for the University of Alabama, member of the Alabama House of Representatives, and United States Congressman.
The bulk of the materials in this collection are made up of personal correspondence dating from 1848-1912, written by and concerning Caldwell, his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, their children and immediate family and friends. Later generations of the family added in correspondence and genealogical research-related items in the 1930s-1960s, and an incomplete genealogical study was compiled in 1991.
Transcripts for the items are included to enhance accessibility. The original items are housed in the Library's Alabama Gallery Special Collections. More information is available in the Caldwell Papers Finding Aid.
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Letters & Documents | Newspapers & Scrapbooks | Speeches, Essays & Poetry
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to Mary Caldwell, December 1862
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell near Fredericksburg, Virginia to his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, regarding Christmas and discussing the wounding and capture of Colonel William H. Forney, December 24, 1862.
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to Mary Caldwell, December 1862
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell near Fredericksburg, Virginia to his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, regarding Ambrose Burnside’s Union troops being reinforced, December 29, 1862.
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Document | Itemized receipt from Blun & Frank to Mary Caldwell, December 1862
Blun and Frank
Itemized receipt for $38.80 from Blun & Frank to Mrs. J.H. [Mary Darthula Greer] Caldwell December 31, 1862.
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to Mary Caldwell, February 1863
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell at Richmond, Virginia to his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, describing his attempts to secure a leave of absence and resign his commission, February 22, 1863.
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to Mary Caldwell, April 1863
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell [near Fredericksburg], Virginia to his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, regarding the Union army’s crossing of the Rappahannock and Joseph Hooker’s troops, April 30, 1863.
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to Mary Caldwell, May 1863
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell at Salem Church near Fredericksburg, Virginia to his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, regarding the Confederate victory and aftermath at Chancellorsville, May 5, 1863.
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to Mary Caldwell, May 1863
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell near Fredericksburg, Virginia to his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, regarding the fighting done by Wilcox’s Brigade [Cadmus M. Wilcox] on May 4 with much detail about the battle and troop movements at Chancellorsville, also information about a petition from Caldwell’s officers that he resign, May 9, 1863.
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to Lt. W.A. McMillin et al., May 1863
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell near Fredericksburg, Virginia to Lts. W.A. McMillin, E. Davis, M.A. Worthington (Co. B), H.A. Chadbourne, John Nelson (Co. C), Capt. R.C. Rogan (Co. D), Lts. James Crook and F.M. Allen (Co D.), Capt. Walter Cook, Lts. L.W. Johnson and W.W. Draper (Co. E), Capt. J.D. Truss and Lts. Smith and Williamson (Co. F), Lts. John Cobb (Co. G), Capt. F. P. Black and Lts. Smith, Martin, and Brownlee (Co. H), Capt. C.W. Burton, and Lts. Christian and Yeargin (Co. I), Lts. H.N. Coleman and Lindsay (Co. K) and Adjt. Shelley, responding to a petition by these junior officers of the 10th Alabama that he resign his position as commander, May 14, 1863.
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to Mary Caldwell, May 1863
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell near Fredericksburg, Virginia to his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, regarding the loss of Vicksburg, May 24, 1863.
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to Mary Caldwell, June 1863
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell near Fredericksburg, Virginia to his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, June 1, 1863.
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to Mary Caldwell, June 1863
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell near Fredericksburg, Virginia to his wife, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, regarding transfer of his division from James Longstreet to A.P. Hill and meeting General Hill, June 3, 1863.
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Correspondence | Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell to an unnamed colonel, August 1863
John Henry Caldwell
Civil War letter from John Henry Caldwell near Orange Court House, Virginia to an unnamed colonel, regarding the battle of Gettysburg and those killed and wounded there, August 17, 1863.
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Document | Deed for the sale of lots by L.H. and Fannie Parsons to John Henry Caldwell, October, 1863
L.H. Parsons
Document | Deed filed in Greene County, Georgia for the sale of Lots 112, 113, and 114 in the town of Jacksonville, Calhoun County, Alabama by L.H. Parsons and Fannie P. Parsons to John Henry Caldwell for $900.00, October 19, 1863.
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Document | Receipt from N.F. Sutton to John Henry Caldwell, June 1864
N.F. Sutton
Receipt for $300 from N.F. Sutton, Company K, 18th Georgia Regiment, McLaws’ Division, Longstreet’s Corps to John Henry Caldwell for “a black mare, Four years old sound and title warranted, June 24, 1864,” written June 24, 1864.
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Document | Proclamation of Brigadier General E.W. Pettus to his troops at their surrender, April 1865
E.W. Pettus
Proclamation of Brigadier General E.W. Pettus to his troops (20th, 23rd, 30th, 31st, and 46th Alabama regiments) at their surrender, Salisbury, North Carolina, April 28, 1865.
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Speech | Text of a speech given by John Henry Caldwell, after 1865
John Henry Caldwell
Speech [by John Henry Caldwell] at a meeting of Confederate veterans, [after 1865].
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Document | Receipt from M.A. Turner to John Henry Caldwell, December, 1871
M.A. Turner
Receipt for $40.20 from M.A. Turner, tailor, to Col. John Henry Caldwell for clothing purchased March 6 through November 18, 1871, paid December 18, 1871 in Jacksonville, Alabama, December 18, 1871.
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Correspondence | Letter from T.J. Burton to John Henry Caldwell, June 1872
T.J. Burton
Letter from T.J. [probably Thomas Jefferson] Burton at Edwardsville, Alabama to John Henry Caldwell asking him to submit his name for nomination for Congress, June 24, 1872.
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Correspondence | Telegram from S.D. Cabiness to John Henry Caldwell, August 1872
S.D. Cabiness
Telegram from S.D. Cabiness [probably misspelling of Septimus Douglass Cabaniss] at Huntsville, Alabama to John Henry Caldwell at Jacksonville, Alabama congratulating him and requesting his attendance at “ratification,” August 5, 1872.
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Newspaper Clipping | From the Jacksonville Republican, 1873
Jacksonville Republican
“New Year’s Address of the Carrier of the Jacksonville Republican for the Year 1873” 1873.
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Correspondence | Letter from Walter Caldwell to Mary Caldwell, January 1873
Walter Caldwell
Letter from Walter Greer Caldwell at New Orleans to his mother, Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell, January 31, 1873.
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Correspondence | Letter from Mary Caldwell to John Henry Caldwell, March 1874
Mary Caldwell
Letter from Mary Darthula Greer Caldwell at Jacksonville, Alabama to her husband, John Henry Caldwell, March 23, 1874.
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Correspondence | Letter from W.B. Woods to John Henry Caldwell, March 1874
W.B. Woods
(1) Letter from W.B. Woods at Mobile, Alabama to John Henry Caldwell at Washington, DC, March 30, 1874 (2) Envelope addressed to Hon. J.H. Caldwell, House of Representatives, Washington City, D.C.
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Correspondence | Letter from T.Y. Burton to John Henry Caldwell, April 1874
T.Y. Burton
(1) Letter from T.Y.[?] Burton at Edwardsville, Alabama to John Henry Caldwell at Washington, DC, regarding proposed postal routes, etc., April 3, 1874 (2) Envelope addressed to Hon. John H. Caldwell, M.C., Washington, D.C.
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Correspondence | Letter from M.H. Zellner to John Henry Caldwell, April 1874
M.H. Zellner
(1) Letter from M.H. Zellner at Ashville, Alabama to John Henry Caldwell at Washington, DC, regarding previously sent petition to Post Master General to remove local Post Master, April 4, 1874 [“Congress” embossed top left corner; mentions an accompanying petition that is not included] (2) Envelope addressed to Hon. John H. Caldwell, M.C., Washington D.C.